Science educators have identified the development of accurate understandings of the nature of science as an instruction goal for nearly a century. Unfortunately, science instructors are unlikely to focus on the nature of science in content courses and the nature of science lessons are generally relegated to the methods courses where they are…

The purpose of this study was to describe elementary preservice teachers' difficulties with understanding algebraic generalizations that were set in an authentic context. Fifty-eight preservice teachers enrolled in an elementary mathematics methods course participated in the study. These students explored and practiced with authentic, hands-on…

Team teaching provided a model for real-world collaborative research efforts in a doctoral level course in research methodology. The instructors--one bringing extensive experience in teaching statistical methods and program evaluation; the other specializing in conducting qualitative research--used a constructivist framework for the course,…

The purposes of this research were to: (1) gather information about attributes of methods course teaching that make it more or less effective, (2) compare the perspectives of instructors and students on attributes of effectiveness, and (3) understand more about how university teachers develop an understanding of the thinking of prospective…

Preservice teachers enrolled in a reading methods course at a large university in the southwestern United States engage in a multicultural project which requires collaborative research. Groups are formed at the beginning of the semester, and either choose or are assigned a specific culture to research. Students then investigate the history and…

A discussion is presented of a semester-long collaborative project in whole language at the college level. Eight preservice teachers, seven inservice teachers, a school principal, and a university instructor worked together in Friday afternoon seminars. This paper gives an overview of multiple theoretical foundations: learning theory, critical…

This paper outlines a model designed to meet the needs of prospective and inservice secondary reading teachers. The model includes four illustrative modules that provide the rationale and components for evaluating students' abilities, evaluating instructional materials and matching them to students' needs, distinguishing teaching tasks and…

This document presents a description of a science education program which provides experiences in the affective, cognitive, and psychomotor domains. The methods course has no required textbook and is an activity-oriented course, requiring students to become acquainted with three of the national elementary science projects: Elementary Science Study…

We present the results of a study on the didactical knowledge development of preservice secondary mathematics teachers participating in a methods course. In this course, we expected pre-service teachers to learn and use a series of conceptual and methodological tools that could help them in the design of didactical units. We coded and analyzed the…

This paper discusses an emerging unification theory of multiculturalism and global education called "transcultural universalism." The paper considers a "universal citizenship profile," of what it consists, and how it is formed. The paper asks four questions: (1) What key citizenship characteristics are essential for today's…

The development of a scientifically literate society is dependent upon effective communication. Accordingly, the Benchmarks for Science Literacy, which defines science literacy goals for United States students K-12, contains an entire section on communication skills. One of the skills described in the Benchmarks is that "students should be able to…

This study compared preservice teachers' beliefs (taken from journal reflections) about inquiry before, during, and after their field placement experiences. The subjects of the study were preservice students (n=48) enrolled in an elementary science methods course at a large midwestern university during the spring semester of 2001. Most of the…

A model service learning course for elementary teaching credential candidates is described. Preservice teachers taking a required university reading methods course studied scientifically-based reading instruction and volunteered in Los Angeles Unified School District classrooms during reading instruction time. Service learning experiences were…

An instructor of an undergraduate literacy methods course included a portfolio as a component of assessment. Based on a review of the literature and the elements of the portfolio assessment program used in the General College Program at the State University of New York College at Fredonia, the instructor adapted the portfolio process for her…

This document describes a pilot study to provide an opportunity for preservice teachers enrolled in elementary language arts methods courses at Indiana University South Bend (IUSB) and Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) to communicate with one another over time and distance through electronic mail (e-mail). Students at both IUSB and SEMO…